Ratchet screwdrivers are well known in the prior art, and they exist in a variety of utilitarian designs. They commonly include a handle and a driven gear, and pawls are disposed intermediate the handle and gear for selective engagement of the pawl with the gear for rotation in selected directions and for ratchet action. In those arrangements, the gear can desirably rotate relative to the handle, and it is common to have clearance between the gear and the handle to accommodate the relative rotation.
The present invention provides for that desired ratchet action, and it does with a tool that eliminates the axial and radial play which are the relative movements between the gear and the handle and other tool parts. Further, the screwdriver of this invention is capable of transmitting rotation and axial forces in a firm transmission through the assembled parts of the screwdriver, and thus be devoid of play between the parts. The adjuster can then be locked in its desired adjusted position.
An adjuster is disposed in the tool handle and is threadedly connected with the handle and is adjustable relative to the handle and from the tool exterior and thus at the completion of assembling the tool.
The aforementioned objects are accomplished with easily manufactured and assembled parts, and with a resultant screwdriver which is sturdy and firm and free of unwanted so-called shake action between the parts.
Also, this screwdriver permits cannulation action therethrough in that it accommodates the necessary parts to accomplish the aforementioned objectives while presenting a passageway through the axial length of the screwdriver. In the physical arrangement, there are ball bearings which serve the dual purposes of freedom of rotation of the gear relative to the handle and for eliminating play between the handle and the gear, both axially and radially.
Still another object is to provide a method of making a screwdriver having the aforementioned merits, and to do so in an easily assembled and facile manner and with a reliable method.
Objects, other than those expressly mentioned herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art.